Herbs 0.5-1.5 m tall. Rhizomes prostrate. Stems unbranched or sparingly branched in upper part. Petiole of basal and lower stem leaves 3-9 cm; leaf blade elliptic in outline, 8-20 × 3-10 cm, pinnatipartite or rarely undivided; lateral lobes 4-8 pairs, narrowly elliptic to broadly linear, margin entire or few toothed, apex acute. Middle stem leaves sessile or very shortly petiolate, similar in form and same in division to basal and lower stem leaves; lateral segments usually falcate or antrorse at an acute angle. Upper stem leaves smaller than others, linear or with 1-3 pairs of lateral segments. Peduncles (8-)12-30 cm, leafless or with 1 or few linear diminished leaves. Capitula 1-6(-9). Involucre campanulate or ovoid-campanulate, 1.1-1.5(-1.7) cm in diam., constricted, base shortly attenuate. Phyllaries tightly imbricate, in 7-10 rows; outer and middle phyllaries triangular, triangular-ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, 3-10 × 1.8-3 mm, leathery, greenish, often darker toward apex and purple at margin, apex acute and with a 0.5-1.5 mm apical spinule; inner and innermost phyllaries narrowly elliptic to linear, 10-20 × 1-2.5 mm, transitioning into appendage; appendage straw-colored or purple-tinged, linear to linear-lanceolate, bent outward, margin slightly revolute. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.
Home